Federal Fund To Aid Area's Hard Luck Cases

CASSELBERRY — The federal Emergency Management Agency has allocated $40,000 to help Seminole County residents in need of food, a place to stay, or help with a rent payment.

United Way of Seminole County Inc. will form a committee of representatives from local non-profit social service organizations to decide how the money will be used.

Bob Walko, executive director of the Seminole County United Way, said it is the first time in the program's three-year history this area has received funding. A meeting is scheduled today to form the committee, he said. Some of the participants include Catholic Social Services, Jewish Social Services, Salvation Army, Seminole County health department and the Red Cross.

Determining factors are unemployment and poverty levels, Walko said.

Rayetta Beaver, planning director of United Way of Orange County Inc., said that county has received funds for two years and that the program has succeeded in helping families with nowhere else to turn.

Beaver said United Way's only involvement is establishing local committees to handle disbursement of the money. She noted that the federal government keeps close tabs on the project.

Money is used to buy emergency groceries, help make a mortgage payment, or pay off a utility bill before the due date, she said. While those who receive assistance must meet eligibility requirements, many are not constantly in need but are men and women who sometimes run into a spurt of bad luck and cannot get assistance from local organizations.

Walko could not predict how many Seminole County residents could be helped by the program. However, Beaver said that last year, 17,520 were provided shelter and another 15,820 received assistance in paying their utility bills in Orange County.

''It helps people who probably wouldn't be able to be helped otherwise,'' she said.